The Records Commission on Dec. 1 approved a set of revised municipal records retention schedules affecting Mayor’s Court, the mayor’s office, the building and police departments.

City staff told the commission that the Ohio Supreme Court released updated retention guidance in September, and the mayor’s court schedule was revised to consolidate criminal offenses from traffic violations through felonies. “25 years was actually one of the time frames that was allowed,” a city staff member said while explaining the proposal to move from the previous 10-year period to 25 years for certain court records. The commission approved the mayor’s court schedule by voice vote.

Commissioners also approved a revised mayor’s office schedule and voted to remove the Safety-Service Director RC2 listing after staff explained that the position’s records have been merged with the mayor’s office files. Commissioners questioned where original documents such as employee grievances and executed union contracts are retained; one commissioner noted that the council-adopted contract is the permanent record and recommended attaching the executed copy to the final legislative file when available.

The Building Department’s retention changes were limited. Staff said contractor certificates of insurance, performance bonds and contractor registration records will be stored electronically as the city implements new permitting software and follows recent contractor-registration legislation.

On police records, staff asked the commission to reclassify master-name index cards — historic paper index cards kept at the water tower that staff said now duplicate digital records — and to treat social-media postings separately from body-camera footage. The staff presentation included guidance from Ohio History Connection about municipal police record practices. Staff said the master-name index currently has little administrative value and recommended a 25-year retention so the department could begin disposing of the obsolete index cards; the state auditors will review the submission and determine whether permanent retention (RC3) remains required. “A lot of the information is held now on applications housed with mayor’s court but obviously through their citations,” staff said, describing where overlapping data now resides.

All proposed changes were approved by voice votes during the meeting. When approval is recorded, staff will forward the revised schedules to the state auditors, who will confirm whether any items must remain permanent or qualify for fixed-year retention.

The commission adjourned after completing the agenda.